In 1988, John Duncan opened the Sacandaga Outdoor Center without a bit of whitewater rafting experience. A seasoned skier and winter sport fanatic, John was the owner of several ski and outdoor shops in the Gore Mountain Ski Area. Many of his skiing instructors were also avid whitewater rafters who needed summer work. So to keep his employees busy, John hired them as rafting guides, and SOC was born.
Over the past 18 years, John and his staff have developed impressive rafting and kayaking resumes, boasting the rivers of Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, The United States, Europe, and the Caribbean. A family operation, John's daughter Jessica, (Jessie to most and second in command), is an accomplished guide and instructor as well, earning her nickname of "Sneak" for her ability to finesse her way through difficult passages of whitewater.
A fluke? A happy accident? Call it what you will, but what began as a way to give ski instructors year round employment, has become the leading whitewater company in the Eastern Adirondacks.